Hey New York City, did you hear Hanukkah has began?

If you haven't heard, the Festival of Lights indeed started with the setting of the sun on December 6th, and that meant lots of singing prayers, exchanging gifts, and lighting menorahs. 

It also means eating lots of oily foods.

Why is this holiday and excuse to consume all the oily foods our stomachs can hold? Well, it's because when the Maccabees lit the original menorah, with oil, it burned for eight days straight. This was the original Hanukkah miracle.

It's also why it's entirely traditional for you to munch on hot, delicious, and, yes, oily latkes all Hanukkah long. Read on to find out where to get them.

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1. Veselka (144 2nd Avenue)

Veselka is an OG NYC institution for many reasons, including the fact that it's open 24 hours, it's delicious, and it's entirely reasonably priced.

We're pretty much obsessed with everything on Veselka's menu. We'd gorge ourselves on their pierogis, stuffed cabbage, steak, and sweet potato fries any day.

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The reason we really go to Veselka, though? Well, obviously the crispy, hot, salty potato pancakes. They come with the perfect complement to the salty: a sweet, cold container of apple sauce. 

The latkes at Veselka remind us that Hanukkah is not our favorite holiday because of the presents. It's our favorite holiday for the potato pancakes, and that's a fact.

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2. Russ & Daughters (179 East Houston Street)

Russ & Daughters, admittedly on the pricey side, is an adorable little shop with tasty bagels. Want the perfect side to your bagel? Hmmm, let us think about this one.

We know. The perfect side to your bagel is a nice healthy piling of hot, steaming, salty potato pancakes.

Russ & Daughters is an NYC institution. Why? Well, oh man are those bagels and latkes delicious. They've got the best lox spread we've had in the city, and the salmon is a masterpiece. 

The latkes though? Well, those are the real miracle of Hanukkah. Try them out, we're pretty sure you'll agree.

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3. Ben's Best (96-40 Queens Boulevard - Queens) 

Ben's Best is a true gem. We drool over the hot pastrami sandwich lathered in mustard (we wash it down with a cold Dr. Brown cherry soda, of course), we fawn over their cole slaw, and we salivate just thinking about their latkes.

The matzah ball soup is masterful, and the latkes at Ben's Best are legendary. They're the perfect amount crispy, and stuffed with just the right amount potato. 

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They're a must-try when it comes to essential NYC foods. What we're trying to say is that you need to get to Queens and munch on Ben's Best's latkes during Hanukkah this year, and you need to bring your friends.

It doesn't matter whether they're Jewish or not. If they're a New Yorker, they need to experience these latkes.

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4. Shelsky's of Brooklyn (141 Court Street - Brooklyn)

Go to Brooklyn and get the latkes at Shelsky's of Brooklyn.

Any other time of year we'd advise you to eat a bagel topped with generous portions of lox, whitefish salad, and creamed herring. We'd talk for days about how incredible these bagels are, and how revolutionary their spreads taste on top of them.

Not at Hanukkah though. Well, we suppose you could enjoy these latkes any time of year, but you should especially enjoy them during Hanukkah.

They come in the schmaltz-fried potato latke, gluten free vegetarian potato latke, sweet potato and celery root latke varieties. You must get them topped with Grandma Yetta's Chunky Apple Sauce, and including the cranberry apple and horseradish relish won't hurt.

What we're saying is the latkes at Shelsky's of Brooklyn are something special. You've got to get a fork in one.

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5. Teresa's Restaurant (80 Montague Street - Brooklyn)

Teresa's Restaurant excels on many fronts: cold borscht in summer with dill, blintzes you could die for, and really stellar, fried pierogis. 

The must-try item, though? The one we tend to center our lunch breaks around during Hanukkah? Well, that's those banging potato pancakes, of course.

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Teresa's Restaurant doesn't mess around. It's got good, thoroughly satisfying food with a Polish influence, and you've really got to experience their sizzling, delectable latkes. It's also entirely reasonably priced which we're also all about.

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6. Baz Bagel (181 Grand Street)

What we have to say about Baz Bagel could be done pretty succinctly. We're pretty sure a "wow," would suffice.

Oh, what's that? You want more? Okay, then we'll say more.

If you want to know what's good for you, get the latkes at Baz Bagel. Get the blintzes too, they're amazing, but the latkes are delicious, delectable, and eating them will spread warmth and happiness throughout your cold, winter bones. 

They're really salty, so get a huge water for your thirst. Then, go to town on your latkes. If you'd like some more variety, they have plenty of great bagels and bagel toppings, but we all know the main attraction has got to be those latkes.

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7. 2nd Avenue Deli (162 East 33rd Street)

At 2nd Avenue Deli, you get a complimentary shot of chocolate soda at the end of your meal, but that's not the best part of dining here.

They've got a killer NYC throwback vibe, and a really wonderful corned beef and pastrami sandwich on a delicious roll, but still, neither of these are the best part of eating here.

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The best part, of course, is the potato pancakes. Once you've taken a bite, we bet you'll find yourself in such euphoria that you'll order another plate of latkes-- to go --just so you can have some tomorrow, too.

They've also got a menu item titled "The Heart Attack," which is a sandwich with crispy, ecstasy-inducing potato pancakes as bread. Try this once in your life, but make sure you come with a painfully empty stomach. 

Check out 7 Best Bakeries for Brownies in NYC. 

[Feature Image Courtesy Instagram]